Why is Adopt a drain beneficial for the future?
Adopt a drain is a voluntary program in which residents sign up to clean the organic debris and trash on the top of a storm drain twice a month for fifteen minutes at a time. This helps to keep storm water clean which is important as it is not treated before it is drained into local waterbodies. The organic debris is of high concern as when it decomposes it removes oxygen from lakes which causes algae to cover the surface of the lake and aquatic life to die off.
|
West St. Paul
West St. Paul is a Twin Cities suburb located just south of St. Paul, Minnesota and bordered to the north by the Mississippi River. It has a population of 20,615 and covers about five square miles. The community is close-knit, and many residents are involved in local government processes and demonstrate concern for the well-being of the West St. Paul community. The city and residents take pride in the parks and waterways within the city aligning their values with that of adopt a drain.
|
Methods of Research
To better understand the status of the City of West St. Paul’s overall stormwater quality and the kinds of public education programs that are most effective for promoting stormwater best management, interviews were conducted with several watersheds and clean water advocacy groups.
To best understand the motivations that guide residents’ decisions to adopt storm drains and continue to clean them, a survey was created and emailed to residents in West St. Paul who are registered as drain adopters with Adopt-a-Drain. It included questions about how much they knew about watersheds, what motivated them to adopt a drain, and what barriers exist to getting other people to participate. A map was created to find the drains that are the most important to be adopted and it was created by pinpointing drains in West St. Paul that would reasonably receive the most waste due to being in low-lying areas. Lastly a review of existing literature on stormwater education practices was conducted. This review aimed to identify variables that influence a stormwater education program’s likelihood of success. And combining it with the information the interviewees gave a picture of what methods are the most effective. |
Findings
Findings from the literature and local watershed managers show that a successful campaign is ongoing, participatory, responsive, and tailored to local characteristics. An “ongoing” campaign persists over time and is not just a single event. It likely varies in intensity as time progresses, but it will consistently offer participants opportunities for involvement. Connecting the program to local characteristics allows learners to build on existing knowledge of features within the community and shows them that they can be active participants.
Across all interviews, water education professionals were clear that interpersonal communication, existing relationships, and engaging children are successful strategies for getting the public to participate in Adopt-a-Drain and related programs. Overall, interview data suggests that building partnerships with existing groups or institutions, such as schools and churches, is key to getting residents to commit to a program like Adopt-a-Drain. interviewees also made it aware that the adopt a drain organization has resources available for the city to use such as touch screen kiosks, door hangers, and lawn signs. |
This map was created by adding the local depressions and stream channels to the existing map of West St. Paul. It was determined that there are many more locations besides the existing surface waters in which water can collect on the land surface. Therefore storm drain adoption should be prioritized next to surface water and in areas where water tends to collect due to elevation and existing hydrology.
Recommendations
Leverage existing resources
Recommendations from the informant interviews show the importance of using resources such as the city newsletter and social media. Carver County has had success highlighting Adopt-a-Drain in newsletters and local papers. The West St. Paul Reader is a good resource for sending out Adopt-a-Drain information, as it is updated regularly and widely accessible. The city website is another great place to give out information and provide a link to sign up. Engaging residents directly is another effective method this could include adding a booth at a local event such as West St. Paul days. It could also entail partnering with local groups such as Garlough elementary school. Once a resident is directly engaged they are more likely to tell their neighbors and get them involved. Create a Targeted Message The pride citizens feel towards where they live can be used to increase involvement in Adopt-a-Drain by creating a targeted message based on local characteristics. For instance, A Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District representative mentioned that residents living near Mud Lake Park participate in a variety of activities to improve and preserve water quality because they care about the lake’s health and understand how lake quality is connected to their cleanup actions. Using a message that is closer related to these local characteristics rather than a broad one is more effective. An example is a message of "protect Minnesota lakes" is less effective than protect the aforementioned mud lake. Campaigns are more likely to succeed in close-knit communities. Fortunately, West St. Paul takes great pride in the strong connection that residents feel towards their city and the close bond they share with one another. Use Adopt-a-Drain Resources Many of the interviewees shared the importance of including materials related to Adopt-a-Drain at city events. One of the most successful examples is Carver County, using a kiosk provided by Adopt-a-Drain to help people sign up at city events. They found that the kiosk is most successful when it is provided for some activities for children near the kiosk. This proximity allows parents to interact with the kiosk information while their children are focused on whatever activity it has provided. This kiosk could be set up at event such as West St. Paul days or other events, it would allow residents to learn about the program and sign up onsite. Adopt a drain also has door hangers available to introduce residents to the program and give them the link to sign up. Lastly lawn signs can be given to adopters, this will give them pride in their work and a reward for their service. It can also start conversations between neighbors, further spreading the word about the program. |
Acknowledgements
This report would not be possible without the gracious assistance of many people. We thank the City of West St. Paul staff, especially Dave Schletty for his guidance in the scope of our project, providing useful context, and taking the time to meet with our class in person.
We also thank the many organizations who took the time to meet with us and share their insights about Adopt-a-Drain. We thank Jenni Abere, our Adopt-a-Drain liaison with Hamline University, Madeline Seveland, the Education Coordinator with Carver County, Sage Passi, the Water Education Specialist with Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, Gael Zembal, the Education and Outreach Coordinator with Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, and Kris Meyer and Alex Van Loh, our contacts with Freshwater.
We would also like to thank the many West St. Paul citizens who responded to our survey. In particular, we thank Kimberly Benton of Garlough Elementary Magnet School for her work with Adopt-a-Drain and for taking the time to meet with us.
We also thank the many organizations who took the time to meet with us and share their insights about Adopt-a-Drain. We thank Jenni Abere, our Adopt-a-Drain liaison with Hamline University, Madeline Seveland, the Education Coordinator with Carver County, Sage Passi, the Water Education Specialist with Ramsey Washington Metro Watershed District, Gael Zembal, the Education and Outreach Coordinator with Nine Mile Creek Watershed District, and Kris Meyer and Alex Van Loh, our contacts with Freshwater.
We would also like to thank the many West St. Paul citizens who responded to our survey. In particular, we thank Kimberly Benton of Garlough Elementary Magnet School for her work with Adopt-a-Drain and for taking the time to meet with us.